Polarized relay



B. s. BENGTSSON 2,954,513

POLARIZEID RELAY Filed March 13, 1958 Sept. 27, 1960 F IC. 2

FIG. 3 A

1N VENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent tice Patented sept. a?, teso P OLARIZED RELAY Bertil S.. Bengtsson, New: Britain, Conn., assigner to The Hart Manul'acturingl Company, Hartford, Conn., a corporation. of Connecticut Filed Mar. 13, 1958', Ser. No. '721,17 0

8 Claims. (Cl. 317-198) This invention relates generally to electromagnetic relays, and more particularly to a novel and improved construction of an armature for use `in a relay of the polarized type.

A principalV object is to, provide an improved armature and hinge assembly which may be fabricated without the use of' screws o1:Y rivets in contact with the hinge, thus eliminating broad area contact between the armature and hinge and utilizing instead only line contact therebetween to gain very rapid armature action and greatly extended hinge life due to the reduction of' stress within the hinge member.

Another object is to provide an improved armature andy hinge assembly of riveted construction and reduced mass with the armature mounted symmetrically on the hinge inA perfect weight balance in respect to its axis of mounting and oscillation.l

Other objects will be in part obvious, and in part pointed out more in detail; hereinafter.

The.. invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination, of elements and arrangement of parts which will. b e exempliled in the construction hereafter set forth and` thel scope of. the application of which. will` be indicated in. the. appendedV claims- I'n the drawings:

Fig. l shows in, side elevation an armature diaphragm or hinge member `of a. polarized relay having mounted thereto an armature shown inv end view and incorporating the. invention.

Fig. 2is a side elevational view of the armature shown in endelevation in Fig.y 1'.`

Fig. 3. is: an exploded view of the component parts comprising the armature and hinge of Figs. 1 and 2 shown in position for assembly.

Fig.. 4 is. a top plan View showing the armature and hinge elements in partial assembly.

Fig. 5 shows in horizontal section the armature as completely assembled.,

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the diaphragm of Fig. 1 prior to armature 'attachment thereto.

While the inventive principles taught herein are applicable to polarized relay armatures generally, the armature shown in the drawings and described` below is especially adapted for use in polarized relays of the general type shown and described in U.S. Patent 2,666,826 issued to the same inventor and assigned to a common assignee.

As best shown in Figs. l and 6, a diaphragm type hinge 10 of thin metal sheet stock of low magnetic permeability, such as a copper alloy, is provided with a pair of spaced horizontally aligned rectangular apertures 11 and 12 separated by a Vertical leg 13 provided with marginally notched spaced areas 14 and 15. An armature assembly, generically designated 16, is mounted to hinge 10 in a manner to enclose leg 13, with the major plane of the armature disposed in right angularity to the hinge plane, with the hinge unstressed. The upper portion of diaphragm `10, to which the armature 16 is mounted is of the configuration of a Roman lil', with top and bottom legs 18 and 19 multiply apertured at 17 through which dowels or the like extend when the hinge is mounted in a relay such as shown in U.S. Patent 2,666,826, witharmature 16 mounted thereon for oscillation through a small arc in response to changes of polarity of an electric current applied to an associated armature winding. Such armatures carry one or more contact points in registry with points fixed to associated relay structure to make and break an electrical circuit. The arc through which the armature reciprocates is very small and may be in the order of only one or a few thousandths of an inch, which permits direct mounting of the armature to a diaphragm for armature oscillation by flexure ofthe diaphragm material. Such armatures have heretofore been fastened to the thin diaphragm by screws or rivets, hence there existed a broad area of Contact between the head ofthe screw or rivet and the area of the diaphragm in contact therewith, as for example in the structure of the above-referenced patent; or between broad area contiguous portions of the hinge and armature in other types of mountings. The armature shown and described herein permits weight balanced armature mounting to a diaphragm type hinge with only line contact therebetween.

As shown in Fig. 3, the armature 16 includes a pair of symmetrically ribbed and apertured plates 20 and 21, adapted to be, brought into clamped engagement about hinge leg 13 and a pair of pins 24 and 25 with opposite end portions of the pins clamped in line contacting engagement with opposite sides of legs 18 and 19 along a verticaly center-line axis. Accordingly, each plate 2t) and 21 is preferably stampedl to define a centrally raised or ribbed area 26, as shown in Fig. 2, extending into upper andy lower aligned ribbed portions 28` and 29 to provide a channel disposed vertically of the plates, as shown in Fig. 3, for snugy clamped engagement of plates 20 and 21 about hinge leg 13 and portions of pins 24 and 25 with adjacent end portions of the pins disposed on opposite sides of the diaphragm material of hinge 10 in firm line contacting engagement therewith. The raised central portion 26 of plate 20 has struck therefrom immediately adjacent and inwardly of ribbed portions 28 and 29 a pair of spaced lancings 31 shown bent to project in right angularity thereto. Plate 21 has similar lancings 32 struck from its corresponding centrally raised portion, immediately adjacent its ribbed portions 28 and 29 to project laterally in the same manner, as shown in Fig. 3. The plates are identical, but are assembled reversed in respect to the corresponding ends thereof. The unlanced lower and upper corresponding areas of plates 26 and' 21 are apertured adjacent their respective ribbed portions hence the apertures resultingv from the lancings receive the lancings of the mating plate, in registry therewith, with the plates drawn in clamped assembly, as shown in Fig. 4, with the lancings 31 and 32 in the marginal notches of portions l14 and 15 of hinge leg 13, Fig. 6, and encircled about pins 24 and 25, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. Pins 24 and 25 are provided with corresponding portions of reduced diameter, illustrated by inner circles 24a and 25a, Fig. 3, defining annular channels in registered alignment with the marginal notches of portions 14 and 15 of hinge leg 13, into which the lancings recess to strengthen the structure and prevent axial displacement of the pins.

Prior to assembly of the elements of Fig. 3 into the unitary structure of Fig. 5, pins24 and 25 are centrally positioned on opposite sides of leg 13, with opposite end portions extended. substantially into hinge portions 18 and 19. Plates 20 and 21 are then inserted within apertures 11 and 12, respectively, and brought into clamped engagement about hinge leg 13 and pins 24 and 25, with lancing recessed in one of the annular channels 24a,

25a defined in the pins, in registry ,with the marginal grooves of hinge leg 13, thus locking the pins against Vaxial displacement. Armature plate ribs 28 and 29 are dimensioned to define a channel, with plates and 21 riveted together securely to clamp pins 24 and 25 against opposite sides of leg 13 with the ends thereof clamped against upper and lower hinge portions 18 and 19 with the pins held in line contact pressure engagement therewith the hinge surfaces, the lancings serving to strengthen the assembly while maintaining the weight balance therein.

One or both heads of either rivet 34 or 35 may serve as a contact point, the second rivet of equal size being provided to maintain perfect weight balance. With the armature and hinge structure thus completed, it is ready for assembly in a relay of the polarized type. A flexible conduit 40 may be soldered at 41 to a depending central portion 43 of hinge 10 to provide a flexible armature connector which does not disturb the symmetrical balance of the armature and hinge. Armature 16 is thus mounted to diaphragm type hinge 10 solely by line Contact between surfaces of pins 24 and 25 to eliminate broad area contact and equalize and minimize biasing stresses to which the material of hinge 10 is subjected during armature oscillation. During armature oscillation under magnetic influence of associated eld coils, stress distribution is symmetrical throughout the hinge diaphragm. The structure permits mass reduction in respect to known armatures while gaining the advantages of a riveted rather than a screw fastened structure.

I claim: l. A relay armature and hingev assembly comprising an apertured diaphragm of form sustaining flexible material, an armature disposed in said aperture, and means mounting said armature to said diaphragm for oscillation through a small arc by flexture of portions of said diaphragm, said mounting means comprising a pair of pins carried by said armature to extend transversely thereof with opposite end portions aligned on opposite sides of said diaphragm and maintained in line contact pressure engagement therewith.

2. An armature and hinge assembly comprising a metal diaphragm provided with a leg integrally joined at both ends with thediaphragm metal to be supported thereby, a pair of pins centrally aligned with said leg on opposite sides of said diaphragm with opposite end portions of the pin extending beyond the leg, a pair of armature plates disposed on opposite sides of said leg to enclose said pins and said leg, and means clamping said plates together with said pins held in line contact pres- 4 sure engagement with said leg and with portions of said diaphragm at each end of s aid leg.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein each of said plates is provided with a lancing and the opposite plate is provided with a registered aperture with the lancing of each plate projected throughV the aperture of the other plate and clamped about said pins and diaphragm leg to strengthen the assembly.

4. An armature and hinge assembly comprising a metal diaphragm provided with a pair of apertures defining a leg therebetween, a pair of pins disposed on opposite sides of said diaphragm in alignment with said leg and extending therebeyond, a pair of armature plates each provided with a rib, one of said plates disposed in each of said apertures with the ribs thereof in face to face aligned relation and enclosing said pins and leg, and means clamping said plates together with said pins maintained in line contacting pressure engagement with said diaphragm.

5. In combination, a metallic diaphragm hinge having an elongate leg portion extending between spaced portions thereof, a pair of elongate pins aligned midway of and on opposite sides of said leg with opposite end portions thereof extending beyond said leg, a pair of armature plates, one disposed `in each of said apertures, with portions thereof engaging said pins and enclosing said diaphragm leg, and means clamping outer portions of said plates together with said pins maintained in linecontact pressure engagement with opposite sides of said diaphragm.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said plates are centrally provided with transversely ribbed portions adapted to be brought into registry when said plates are brought into aligned face to face engagement, said ribbed portions being dimensioned to define a channel of a size to maintain said pins aligned in pressure contact with opposite surfaces of said diaphragm.

7. The device of claim 5 wherein said plates are maintained in clamped engagement by a pair of doubleheaded rivets projected through outer side wall portions of the paired plates, one or both of said rivets being adapted for use as an electrical contact point during oscillation of the armature.

8. A device of the character described having in combination, a hinge of thin sheet metal including a portion marginally channeled and centrally apertured in substantially the form of a Roman numeral IIL an armature mounted to the center leg of said hinge comprising a pair of rectangular plates, each provided with a vertical rib centrally thereof, two cylindrical pins aligned with said center leg, one on each side thereof with end portions extending beyond the rib, and rivet means for maintaining said plates in clamped assembly about said center leg and said pins.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,807,760 Berg et al. Sept. 24, 1957 2,867,755 Rommel et al. Jan. 6, 1959 2,882,461 Glassow Apr. 14, 1959 

